The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-06-30

she extinguished the lamp and laid
| down on her bed, dressed as she was,
to think.
For several hours she lay there try
ing to decide upon the proper course
to pursue-love contending with
wounded pride-until finally worn
out by her self-questioning she fell
asleep.
She was awakened by a sense of
suffocation. The interior of the cabin
was suifused with light and a dull,
heavy roaring was in her ears. In a
moment it flashed over her that the
prairie fire was upon them.
Springing from her couch she rushed
outdoors. 1t was as she suspected.
The wind had veered around to the
southeast and the fire she had seen
earlier in the evening, was heading
towards the cabin at a furious rate.
So close were the flames that she could
plainly see the tumble-weeds and rub
bish as they were blown ahead of
the main column of fire. by the terrific
wind.
The heat was almost intolerable
while the glare from the flames made
everything visible for miles.
1t was very evident to Relief that
her tire-break was an utterly insuffi-
cient protection against such combi-
nation of fire and wind, and that their
only chance of safety lay in reaching
the creek, nearly mile distant.
Stephen was still sleeping heavily
and as she stopped to waken him, he
moved uneasily and muttered her
name. 1t was no time for sentiment,
but before rousing him. she bent still
lower and softly pressed kiss upon
his forehead, then with an effort she
shook him sharply, crying:
stephen! Stephen! get up. the
prairie is on fire!"
He awoke with start, glared stu
pidly around for moment, then catch
ing sight of his wife's anxious face,
jumped to his feet.
Relief quickly made him understand
the situation and it only needed
glance to the south to comprehend how
serious their condition was.
1.-The river! we must make for it at
once, or we are lostw she, almost
shrieked, now beginning to lose con-
troll of the wonderful nerve she had all
along exhibited.
Stephen nodded, and grasping her
around the waist almost lifted her
along in the direction of the creek.
The fire by this time had leaped across
the fire-break and was now tapping up
the cottonwood shanty. The open
space around the cabin temporarily
checked its progress, but was of slight
advantage to the couple fleeing for
their lives.
Almost suffocated by the heat they
stumbled along through the high grass,
straining every muscle to reach the
river. Twice Relief's dress was ablaze
from the tumble-weeds which were
blown ahead of the fire by the high
wind, and each time Stephen blistered
his hands putting it out.
At last Relief fell exhausted, after
stumbling a dozen times, and declared
her inability to proceed further.
Then Stephen caught her up in his
arms, and needless Of her entreaties to
leave her and push on alone, he plunged
forward with his burden.
1t was a noble and heroic effort but,
alas! useless.
The wind, now blowing fully As miles
an hour, carried the flames with it, and,
glancing back for an instant, Stephen
saw death was almost upon them.
Making a desperate exertiOn he
managed to stagger ahead to a little
knoll on the prairie and there dropped
exhausted.
Relief was nearly overcome by the
hot scorching air and could barely
speak, but as Stephen gently placed
her on the ground, standing between
her and the oncoming flames, she gazed
up into his eyes with a look of unutter-
able tenderness and whispered:
stephen, my darling, you have no.
bly, redeemed yourself, l forgive you
kiss mep'
He took her once again in his arms
and pressed a long, fervent kiss upon
her poor, parched lips.
''GOd receive us both, DEAR" he said
and then there came a mighty rush
of hot wind, followed by flaming
flood of fire, and all was over.
Next day their poor. blackened
bodies were found by search party
sent out to seek for sufferers from the
fire.
The mans body was terribly disfig-
ured, all his clothing being burned off.
What had once been locket, contain
ing picture, still hung around the
neck, but this was all that was recog-
nizable.
The woman was not so badly marred
and it appeared as though the man had
tried to shield her with his own form,
until the last. Her hair was nearly
gone, and small hole burnt in her
left cheek, but beyond this, no part of
her body appeared to be injured.
As one of the men reverently lifted
the mute form into the wagon he re-
marked to a comrade: ''She died
with smile upon her face, see! it is
still there"
And so it was, for the last thing she
knew on earth was her husbands kiss,
and she died forgiving him.-Sam T.
Cl0Uer in Dakota Bell.